Fuse and junction block



J. A. WflLHELMfi FUSE AND JUNCTION BLOCK Filed July 22, 1921 MAGINETO RIGHT LEFT I TAIL HEAD HEAD U LIGHT LIGHT 6 \SIWITCHL-DIM HEAD LI T TERMINAL x DINNER Rmsmuc:

SWITCH MAIN TERMINAL Swims: SW'TCH BRIG HERD SWITCH-TAN. LIGHT BATTERY LIGHT TERMINAL TERMINAL Nova, 2, 192?.

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PATEN 5 JULIAN A. WILHELIVII, OF'KANKAKEE; ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR' TO CHICAGO FUSE lVfJ-LNU- FACTURING COMPANY, 075 CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF'ILLZNGIS.

FUSE AND JUNCTION BLOCK.

Application filed J 11ly'22;

The invention relates to a combined fuse and unction block for use in- COIIIIGCUOI}.

with the electric wiring in anautomobile.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a. compact unitary junction. block constructed with permanently secure fasten? ing means for the terminals of the wires connected thereto, and which may be in stalled in a standard automobile without material rearrangement of the wires;

Another object is toprovide a. junction block having removable fuses for the protection of the head and tail light circuits.

A further object is to provide a junction block having connections for: the selective introduction of resistance in thehead light circuits, thus effecting a dimming of those lights without the use of a: double filament:

bulb or of two bulbs.

The various terminals of theoperatingcircuits in an automobile areusually assembled and joined in their proper relation at an accessible location on the front of; thezdashboard within the hood. Frequently the connections are made by means of'bindingposts or screws more or less insecurely fastened in the dashboard. in some of'the cheaper cars the wiring to the head and tail lights is:

strung along the metal frame members of the car, and by reason of the vibration attending the operation of the car the insulation is frequently worn. permitting short circuits to ococcur which burn out the lights and cause other damage. It is not customary in such cars to protect the lighting circuits by fuses. The invention disclosed herein is designed to supply a permanently effective means securely joining the proper circuits and of introducing protective fuses in the lighting circuits, such means being readily installed in place of the junction blocks or other means of connection ordinarily installed by the manufacturers.

The device illustrated herein has been particularly adapted to a Ford car, and has been provided also with connections for employing resistance to accomplish the climming of the head lights in place of the use of two circuits each to the head lights and the employment in the latter of a double filament bulb or two bulbs.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a plan view of the fuse and junction block, with the terminals of which are diagrammatically indicated the circuits to be connected 1921;, SerialNo. 486,744.

otherwise than to indicate them by the legends shown on the drawing. Fig. 2 is a sideview of the device.

Referring'to the drawings, the numeral indicates a baseof insulating material of enduring quality adapted to be secured by means of the screws 2. to the dashboard within the hood of a Ford car after the junction terminal devices previously employed have been removed. The base 1 carries four binding posts 8,4, 5 and 6 each of which comprises a screw bolt having its slotted head 7 countersunk in the under side of the base 1 and extending upwardly therethrough, and. carrying a. pair of washers O O and. a pair of nuts 9 alternately arranged above the base; The binding posts effect the secure holding of, the attached wires by means of. the locking pairs of nuts andwashers.

- The post 6 is in electrical contact with a bar lO extendinglaterally therefrom across the surface ofithe' base and connectin-gthe postwith a pair of suitable fuse mountings 11% and 12 whichremovably support one end each ofa pair of: removable Cartridge fuses 13; and'l i having'their; other ends similarly secured in the fuse mountings 15 and 16 which are connected with the binding screws 17 and 18. A third cartridge fuse 19 is similarly carried by the terminal mountings 20 and 21 connected with the binding screws 22 and 23. I

As indicated in Fig. 1, the fuses 13 and 1d are connected in circuit with the right and left headlights, respectively, the binding post 6 and bar 10 being connected to the bright light terminal on the instrument board switch. To effect the dimming of the lights when desired, I may install a resistance coil indicated at 24 having its terminals connected between the binding posts a and 6, the post 4: being connected with the dimmed head light terminal in the instrumentboard switch.

It will now be observed that the altcrnative positioning of the headlight switch to bright and dim positions will selectively throw into and out of circuit the resistance coil Qt, thereby permitting the headlights to burn with full brightness or with the current reduced by the dimmer resistance. lVhen the ordinary installation includes two circuits from the junction block to the head lights for the control either of a two filament bulb or a pair of bulbs in each lamp, 1 may disconnect one of the two wires running to each of the head lights from the junction block, join them together as at 25 and effect a ground connection with the frame of the car as indicated in dotted lines at 26. The fuse 19 is connected as indicated in circuit with the tail light, the binding screw 22 being connected with the tail light terminal in the lighting switch on the instrument board.

It will now be apparent that the fuses introduced into the head and tail light circuits between the source of current and the lights will serve to protect the latter against any excessive current occasioned by extreme speed of the generator or by short circuiting of those circuits.

It will also be apparent that my device may be readily installed by simply displacing the former junction block and making the connections as therebefore with the binding posts in my improved device.

I claim as my invention:

1. A combined unitary junction and fuse block adapted to be inserted in lighting systems without alteration of the existing wiring, including a live switch terminal, a bright headlight terminal, a dimmer headlight terminal, either of said last two mentioned terminals being arranged selectively to be connected with said live terminal, a conductor bar connected directly with one of said terminals and having a pair of fuse terminal recesses thereon, removable right and left headlight fuses having their one end set in said recesses, and a pair of fuse terminal connectors arranged to cooperate with the other ends of said fuses each hav ing connection respectively with said right and left headlights.

2. A combined unitary junction and fuse block adapted to be inserted in lighting sys tems without alteration of the existing wiring, including a live switch terminal, a bri ht headlight terminal on one side of said live terminal, a dimmer headlight terminal on another side, either of said terminals being arranged selectively to be connected with said live terminal, a conductor bar connected to said bright headlight terminal and having a pair of fuse terminal recesses thereon, removable right and left headlight fuses set in said recesses at one end, a pair of fuse terminal connectors receiving the other ends of said fuses and having connec tion respectively with said right and left headlights, and a resistance constituting a connection between said bright and dimmer headlight terminals.

3. A unitary device of the character described, comprising a block of insulating material adapted to be mounted upon the dash board of an automobile, a plurality of terminals mounted on said block com rising a bright headlight terminal, a contucting bar having two fuse clips integral therewith connected to said bright terminal, two other fuse clips cooperating with said first mentioned fuse clips to hold headlight fuses, a dimmer headlight terminal, a terminal adapted to be connected to a source of supply, said last named terminal adapted to be connected to either of said bright or dimmer headlight terminals, respectively.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JULIAN A. lVILHELMT. 

